Cal State Northridge's seventh annual "Advance to Graduate Education (A.G.E.) Conference" is bringing the sky a little bit closer to campus on Saturday, March 12, with a series of workshops and sessions designed to make the process of getting into graduate school a little easier.

The free conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union on the east side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

The day's theme is "Promoting Diversity in an E-Changing World." Workshop and session topics include the graduate admission process, graduate test preparation, financing a graduate education, applying to law school, applying to business school, becoming a credentialed teacher and how to write a winning statement of purpose.

Dr. Frank X. Meza of Kaiser Permanente will give the keynote address. Jerry Bobrow, founder of Bobrow Test Preparations, will address the plenary session.

The conference will culminate with a "Graduate School Fair," featuring displays from Northridge's graduate programs as well as graduate programs at such schools as UCLA, USC, Claremont Graduate University, Chapman School of Law and Pepperdine University.

Although the event is free, tickets are required. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Associated Students Ticket Office in the University Student Union through March 11.